Toy



April 23, 1946- A. E. CONRAD ET AL 2,393,920 4 TOY . Filed May 24, 1944' 40/7/02 2? Come/40 BY 4254mm? Co/ve/w f0 Arromzy INVEN TORS Patented Apr. 23, 1946 UNITEDSTATES ATENT-lorries Arthui- E. Conrad and Eleanor Conrad, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application May 24,

5 Claims.

This invention relates toa toy of the type having a pair of supporting wheels and a figure arranged to be animated by connection with one or both of the wheels.

.It isan object of our invention to provide novel, ruggedand inexpensive mechanism for imparting .movement to a figure carried by a toy of this class.

Other objects will appear and be more fully pointed out in the following specification and claims,

Referring to the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowing our improved toy;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sam with a portion of the tongue broken away, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken approximately on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

As illustrated, our improved toy has a fixed body member 5 adapted to be supported on a pair of wheels 6 and a tongue 1 which is rigidly fastened to the body member 5 to be manipulated for propelling the toy. The wheels 6 are fixed on opposite end portions of an axle 8 and this axle is revoluble in a bearing formed in the body member 5. Rigidly fastened to the inner surface of each of the wheels 6 is a cam 9 having an arcuate segment l which projects to frictionally engage the bottom surface of a normally horizontal disk II. This disk has a normally vertical, axially disposed pivot pin l2 connecting it to the body member and permitting limited vertical movement of the disk as well as rotary movement thereof. To facilitate the separation of the disk II from the body member 5 the pin l2 may be fixed at one end and caused to fit loosely at its other end as in a bearing in the disk ll. As indicated in Fig. 2, the disk ll rests on the periphery of first one and then the other of the cam segments In so that the bottom surface of the disk is continuously held in spaced relation to the upper edge of the body member 5. To insure this continuous support and alternate engagement of the cams with the disk H, each of the segments i0 is formed to extend over an arc approximately equal to 180 degrees and one of these segments is disposed diametrically opposite the other with respect to the axis'of rotation of the wheels. By this arrangement we minimize the power required to oscillate the disk I l.

Mounted on the disk H is a figure indicated generally by the numeral [3 representing a dancer. This figure may be provided with mov- 1944, Serial No. 537,039 (01. 46-107) able parts such as the pivoted arms 14 and i5 which are caused to swing by the oscillating movement imparted through the disk II. This disk, being freely revoluble about its axis with 5. respect to the body member 5, may be turned to cause the figure I3-to face in any direction.

In use, the toy is'propelled by manipulating thetongue 1 thus causing the traction wheels 6 to rotate together with the cam segments it upon which the disk rests. As one of the segments disengages the disk I l, the other engages it to reverse the direction of rotation about the pivot" pin l2. each revolution of the wheels 6 th disk II and 15 figure l3oscillate about the axis of the pin l2 from any starting position. For example, referring to Fig. 3, the figure I3 may turn from a position such as that shown in full lines in a clockwise direction to the position indicated in broken lines and then in counter-clockwise direction to the full line position during one complete revolution of the wheels 6. In actual use, the momentum of the figure and disk causes these elements to oscillate in a somewhat irregular manner or through angles of various sizes before the reverse motion starts, depending on the speed of operation of the toy and other conditions affecting the frictional driv of the disk II. This produces the whirling dance movement that is desired.

Our improved toy may be constructed substantially in its entirety from wood and is easy to construct so that it is durable and reliable in operation as well as inexpensive. Resistance to 5 the turning of the disk H is reduced to a minimum by our arrangement for spacing the bottom of this member from the underlying body member 5 and for affording a continuous rolling support on the cam segments [0.

Havin described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a toy having a' body member, a pair of wheels supporting said member and propelling means connected to said body member, the improvements which comprise, a substantially horizontal disk having a centrally located, substantially vertical pivot connecting it to said body member, cams fixed on said wheels respectively and having segments projecting to frictionally engagesaid disk near opposite peripheries thereof, said disk being supported alternately by the cams at opposite sides of said pivot and the cams being formed to alternately rotate the disk substantially horizontally in opposite directions about said pivot and a figure carried by said disk.

It will thus be evident that during cally oppositesides or? said pivot; eachof said Sega ments having a peripheral contact surface ex tending over an arc of approximately 180 degrees and the segments of the respective cams being disposed diametrically opposite to each other, said disk being in continuous engagement with one or I the other of said segments whereby oscillating movement in opposite directions is imparted" to said disk by the respective cams when the: wheels are rotated, means connecting said wheels togather for rotation in unison and a figure carried by said disk. I

31 In atoy having a body member, a parrot wheels supporting said: body member: and: atongueconnected tosaid body member, theimprovements which: comprise; a substantially horizontal disk having a centrally located, substantially Vere tical pivot connecting it to said body member midway betweenthe upper-peripheral; portions of said wheels, a cam fixed on: each of said- Wheels and having; a; segment. projecting to frictionallyengage and support said: disk mean itsperiphery, the segments of the? respective cams being disposed to engage said disk at diametrically opposite sides of said pivot and said segments alternately engaging said disk to impart oscillating movement thereto in opposite directions when the wheels are rotated, means connecting said wheels together for rotation in unison, a figure carried by and projecting upward from said disk and freely pivoted arms depending from said figure at oppositesides of thevertical pivot axis to be animated by the oscillating movememtatransmitted through said disk.

r 4. A toy comprising a carrier; an axle on which said carrier is mounted; ground wheels on said axle; a post extending upwardly from said carrier; a body slidable vertically and also rotatable on said. post; a pair of cam members rotatable with said wheels adapted to alternatively control the vertical movement of the body on the post and rotate it in opposite direction.

5. A toy comprising a carrier; an axle on which said, carrier isi'mounted; ground wheels on said axle; a. post. extending; upwardly from said carrier; a body slida'ble' vertically and also rota-table on said post; a pair of cam. members. rotatablewithsaid wheels adapted to alternatively control the vertical movement of the body. on; the post;

androtate'it in opposite directiomsaidzcam being; shaped to slowly raise the body and. allow; it to dropbygravity against the top of the carrier.,

ARTHUR E, CONRAD, ELE ANOR; Conn-An: c 

